An Artisan’s Use of Tonewoods- How Sought After Woods Impart Distinct Acoustical Qualities to Classical Guitars

Brian Itzkin built his first guitar when he was 14 from a kit sold by Martin Guitar following techniques spelled out in the guitar makers’ bible, Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology by William Cumpiano. Itzkin started building ukeles and purchasing wood from Roberts Plywood when he was a teenager. After graduating from high school and a stint in college, Itzkin traveled to Granada, Spain, and attended a guitar-making course taught by Stephen Hill. “Learning to build classical guitars in the heart of Andalucia gave me a deep appreciation for the style. I fell in love with Spain and with guitar making, plus I was surrounded by a culture in which the guitar is a celebrated item,” Itzkin said. “I was hooked, and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

**Hear this guitar get played by Cim Frode courtesy of Siccas Guitars ** Cherry Blossom from album, Reminiscence.

Itzkin uses time-honored hand fabrication techniques and traditional woods to make his guitars. He often employs European Spruce sourced from the Val di Fiemme in Italy or Western Red Cedar from Alaska for his guitar tops and European Maple, Mahogany or Indian Rosewood for the sides and backs.

“The Spruce I use imparts an incredible tonal clarity in higher registers with dark brooding bases that seem to growl from the deepest depths of the sound box,” Itzkin explained. “The Cedar generally has an explosive quality, as if with each pluck of the string, the guitar is erupting in a cascade of colorful, mature sound. While Spruce generally needs time to “open up” or be played enough to reach its full potential, Cedar has the definition and maturity Spruce gains with the seasons almost immediately.”

Maple is the traditional material for the back and sides of instruments in the violin family and a popular choice for guitars. “Maple has a lower vibrational quality than more resinous tropical woods such as Rosewood and thus imparts a clear low end with staccato-like note separation,” Itzkin explains. “If it was good enough for Stradivari, it’s good enough for me,” he adds.

Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) is one of the most highly prized species for guitar-making due to its incredible acoustical qualities, including its vibrant low-end tone, its pure top-end tone and its reverberance. But since 1992, when Brazilian Rosewood became regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, there are restrictions on its acquisition and trade. Today, Brazilian Rosewood can be obtained only if it bears a certificate of provenance confirming that was harvested and exported prior to the CITES restrictions or harvested from trees that have fallen naturally. Given these restrictions, luthiers often rely on Indian or Malagasy Rosewood, which is similar to the Brazilian variety, but with more midrange tonality.

Built during covid in La Herradura, Granada Spain, this Madagascan Rosewood and spruce classical played by the guitarist Albertus.

Each of these tonewoods has distinct timbral qualities that affect both the sound and the pricing of an instrument. However, Itzkin points out that some people are more drawn to the aesthetics of an instrument. “Some clients buy with their eyes,” he said. “For them, it’s the coloring, grain or figuring of the wood that holds appeal.”

Purchasers of bespoke classical guitars include professional musicians, teachers, collectors and guitar enthusiasts. A revival of interest in Spanish classical guitar in the early to mid 20th century led by virtuosos such as Andrés Segovia, Julian Bream and other masters has elevated the genre to a high cultural level and there are many devoted students of the art form. Plus, as Itzkin, explains, “During the Covid pandemic, a lot of people have had time on their hands to play guitar.” iw

Learn more about Brian Itzkin at his website.